'Safe zones' around abortion clinics don't threaten free speech, Victoria says
State government tells high court that anti-abortion protesters are not engaged in public debate but are targeting women for their medical choices

Paul Karp
Thu 17 May 2018

“Safe access zones” around abortion clinics do not breach Australians’ limited right to free speech because protesters are not engaged in public debate but rather targeting women for their medical choices, the Victorian government has said.

The Victorian government has made the submission to the high court, warning that without safe access zones some women who need abortion services will decide “to delay or not to seek those services at all”.